AP photographers captured the year in sports

FILE - In this Oct. 28, 2012 file photo, Detroit Tigers' Miguel Cabrera walks away after striking out to end Game 4 of baseball's World Series against the San Francisco Giants in Detroit. Cabrera will be remembered for two things during the baseball season of 2012: Becoming baseball's first Triple Crown winner in 45 years, and striking out on an 89 mph, belt-high fastball to end the Giants' 4-3, title-clinching win. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum, File)
— AP

FILE - In this Oct. 28, 2012 file photo, Detroit Tigers' Miguel Cabrera walks away after striking out to end Game 4 of baseball's World Series against the San Francisco Giants in Detroit. Cabrera will be remembered for two things during the baseball season of 2012: Becoming baseball's first Triple Crown winner in 45 years, and striking out on an 89 mph, belt-high fastball to end the Giants' 4-3, title-clinching win. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum, File)
/ AP

There are magic numbers in basketball. For Wilt Chamberlain, there's 100. For Michael Jordan, there's 23.

For Baylor, there's now 40.

Star center Brittany Griner and the Bears were the best team in the women's game in 2012. Baylor played 40 games and won them all, becoming the seventh team in the NCAA era to finish something-and-oh - and the Bears topped the previous record of 39-0 first achieved by Tennessee in 1998 and then matched three times since by Connecticut.

To be perfect, Baylor had to beat Tennessee - twice. Had to beat Notre Dame - twice. Had to erase an 11-point deficit over the final 13 minutes to beat Connecticut. And in the end, the Bears had to escape a Final Four where all four No. 1 seeds made their way to the national semifinals.

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RYDER FOR SEVE

For Jose Maria Olazabal, joy and pain went together perfectly at the Ryder Cup.

Seve Ballesteros was in Olazabal's mind and heart throughout the competition, when Europe trailed 10-6 entering the final day and pulled off a series of epic singles victories to win the gold trophy. And when it was over, Olazabal didn't even bother trying to contain his emotions.

"All men die, but not all men live," Olazabal said, addressing his team. "And you made me feel alive again this week."

Ballesteros died of brain cancer in 2011, but Olazabal made sure that he was part of the 2012 European team in spirit. His image adorned the team's golf bags. And it wasn't coincidental that at the closing ceremony, Olazabal wore a blue-and-white jacket, Ballesteros' traditional Sunday colors.

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KING OF GRASS

Seventh heaven. That's how to describe what Roger Federer enjoyed on Centre Court, Wimbledon this year (at least until the Olympics). For the seventh time, Federer prevailed at the All England Club, beating Britain's Andy Murray 4-6, 7-5, 6-3, 6-4 to win the title and his 17th Grand Slam tournament.

A week earlier, few might have thought Federer would win. He needed to win an 8-6, fourth-set tiebreaker just to take France's Julien Benneteau to a fifth set (Federer won 6-1) in the third round. From there, though, old form emerged.

He beat Novak Djokovic in four sets in the semis, getting broken only once, and then surviving a first-set loss to topple Murray - who beat him at Wimbledon for Olympic gold later in the summer - for the title.

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MCKAYLA'S POSE

It might have been the sports photo - and certainly the sports-meme-generator - of the year.

McKayla was not impressed.

Arms folded, lips together, pursed to the side a bit, it will almost certainly be the moment that stays with McKayla Maroney from 2012. She won the silver medal in vault at the London Olympics, and on the medal podium, let the world know that she wasn't thrilled about her performance.

Hence, the picture.

It captured everyone's attention. When Maroney and the team visited the White House, President Barack Obama wanted a picture with Maroney.